As this is the annual My City “Bridal Issue” I want to set the tone for this month’s “My Style” piece with some recent wedding statistics from Vogue and Pinterest.
“When Vogue asked eight of the world’s top event planners to share their predictions for 2024 wedding trends, one term kept popping up again, again, and again – the non-wedding wedding. Let Melissa Sullivan, of Studio Sully, summarize it in a sentence: ‘Most of our couples are asking for non-wedding weddings: They’re wanting to celebrate their love with their family and friends but not to stick to all the stuffy traditions.’ The data backs this up: According to a Pinterest report published in May, searches for ‘nontraditional wedding dresses’ on the platform have spiked 110%, whereas ‘nontraditional wedding vows’ went up 205%. The phrase “anti-bride,” meanwhile, increased by 480%.”
When it comes to choosing what to wear for a wedding celebration (lavish or not) that includes multiple events, this presents an opportunity to be more adventurous to suit the event’s changing vibe!
So, with many couples bucking tradition and really yearning for their wedding to feel, well, “more them”, formality for the sake of formality is out. This is the part of the trend I love most: couples who want the vibe to represent THEIR style welcomes you, as a guest, to dress for the occasion in YOUR style!
Many couples want more distinguishable, personal décor and styling for guests attending the wedding events; this means a lot more color and bold patterns. This year, weddings will include welcome-to-town parties, pre-parties, after-parties, day-after celebrations and more. Weddings may be held in barns, museums, at restaurants, in gardens, it could be a civil ceremony by day followed by a black tie party at night. When it comes to choosing what to wear for a wedding celebration (lavish or not) that includes multiple events, this presents an opportunity to be more adventurous to suit the event’s changing vibe!
Inspired florals are BIG, in both color and pattern. From embracing non-white and nontraditional wedding dresses to giving the bridal party more freedom to style themselves, wedding attire is all about making a statement. If you are invited to a wedding in 2024, do not be surprised if the bride and groom provide style guidelines for their guests. This allows the couple to carefully curate their own trend, while injecting creativity and maybe even rebellion against traditional celebration wear. Bridesmaid dresses may simply need to be a chosen color, allowing the wedding party members to select a style that best suits their body shape and size. This means, for example, if the color for bridesmaids is black, they can buy an off-the-rack dress ANYWHERE, which allows all of us to better support local small businesses. This also means that attendants can add pops of color with accessories, shoes, a beautiful brooch or clever hair accessory – really highlighting their individual style.
As a wedding guest, pick a cheerful or elegant design style that makes you feel great but also allows you to celebrate freely should an all-night dance party be on the agenda. For first and fourth quarter weddings especially, lean into seasonally-appropriate colors and textures – like warm, earthy tones and sumptuous, soft velvets or jacquard. For events with cocktail-style parties or receptions at posh restaurants, choose to say “cheers” to the new couple in a fun dress that makes a glamorous statement. Metallic finishes and rich, vibrant colors always work well for those memorable moments! For spring and summer weddings, you can never go wrong with romantic blooms or bright micro-florals. And for beachy, warm-weather nuptials, opt for lightweight fabrics with flowy silhouettes, easy breezy and visually pleasy!
Choose wedding outfits that represent YOUR STYLE … and have FUN!
